Stern Pinball Games
Discover the various Stern Pinball pinball machines from the past few years – from legendary film and music themes to modern classics with unique gameplay. Find out more about the individual machines and their special features
When you think of pinball machines today, you inevitably think of Stern Pinball. The Chicago-based company is not only the oldest and largest pinball manufacturer in the world, but also the driving force that has kept the pinball hobby alive and modernised it in the 21st century.
While manufacturers such as Bally and Williams, who played a key role in shaping the golden era of pinball, eventually disappeared from the market, Stern Pinball has remained true to the classic mechanical game over the years and successfully brought the world of pinball into the modern age. Today, the manufacturer combines the real, physical feel of the game from back then with the technology of today.
STERN Pinball – Pro, Premium, Limited – What’s the difference?
Stern Pinball produces every newly released pinball machine in the Pro, Premium and Limited variants.
We explain the differences and how you can order the different models.
Insider Connected™ system from Stern Pinball
With Insider Connected, Stern Pinball brings modern online features to the world of pinball. Players can save progress, master challenges, unlock achievements and compare themselves with other players worldwide.
You can find more information about the features and possibilities
The history of Stern Pinball
Hardly any other name is as well-known in the world of pinball machines as Stern Pinball. Today, the company is the oldest and largest manufacturer of high-quality pinball machines in the world and has been shaping the pinball scene for decades with innovative game ideas, legendary designs and modern technologies.
Stern’s roots go back to the 1930s – to the early days of the modern pinball machine. Sam Stern, the father of today’s CEO Gary Stern, was a formative figure in the American pinball industry early on and worked closely with legendary manufacturers such as Williams, Bally and Gottlieb. These companies laid the foundations for the golden age of pinball machines.
A decisive moment followed in 1947, when Sam Stern, together with Harry Williams, drove the development of Williams Electronics. In the decades that followed, numerous technical innovations were developed, including multi-player pinball machines, electromechanical scoring systems and increasingly elaborate playing fields.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, video games fundamentally changed the arcade market. Despite difficult times, the Stern family remained loyal to the pinball world. After the death of his father, Gary Stern founded the company Data East Pinball together with partners in 1986. A few years later, the company was taken over by SEGA and continued under the name Sega Pinball. At the end of the 1990s, Gary Stern bought back the pinball division and founded what is now Stern Pinball.
While many manufacturers disappeared, Stern became the most important name in the industry and kept the classic pinball machine alive. In the 1990s and 2000s in particular, numerous cult titles were created that are still popular with collectors and players worldwide today. Well-known designers such as Steve Ritchie, Pat Lawlor and George Gomez played a decisive role in shaping this era.
Today, Stern Pinball combines classic mechanics with modern technology. Current machines offer elaborate light shows, LCD animations, online features and interactive game modes without losing the typical charm of the traditional pinball machine. With well-known licence themes from film, music, comics and gaming, Stern inspires both long-time collectors and new players across all generations.
As a dealer for high-quality pinball machines, Pinball Garage offers a large selection of current and classic Stern pinball machines for collectors, companies and private gaming rooms.